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"Got water here, not gonna make you drink out of the tap. I'll be back with some soup too, just the broth. After you dry out I'll get you a cab to..." He looks to you.
"The library."
"The libr-" He stops abruptly. "Excuse me?"
"He can't get into any of the rehab programs because he lacks and ID and he can't-"
"I get the picture. How's the library help."
"It's a city issued ID, barcodes and all. It fits the criteria."
"Clever. Alright then, we'll get you a lift there and to the facility itself in the morning. But don't go spreading the word, this is a special circumstance." He adds the last part with a hardness that's ever so slightly forced.
Ronnie nods shallowly and slowly rotates and curls on the couch. Kowalski nods and leads you out of the office, closing the door gently and fishing up a key ring to lock it up. He sighs and shakes his head.
"You go this out of the way for everyone you run into?"
"Pretty much." You reply sheepishly.
Kowalski looks at you. Really looks at you. You can feel the analysis loading inside as he finally extends a hand and claps your shoulder.
"Allison was right." He says simply, giving you a pat before walking past you. "I'll check on him every fifteen to twenty. You should get back out there."
You watch him walk away and hear a muffled groan through his office door.
"You'll be alright buddy." You say to nobody in particular.
====
The next few hours pass without incident. until the final hour hits...
"ALRIGHT EVERYONE, KITCHEN IS CLOSING UP AT MIDNIGHT. WE ONLY GOT THE PERMIT FOR ONE DAY SO ONCE THAT CLOCK HITS TWELVE WE'RE DONE. GET YOUR SOUP. GET YOUR WATER. ANYTHING EXTRA IS GONNA BE HANDED OUT AFTER, FIRST COME FIRST SERVED." Kowalski hollers as he stands on a fold out table.
The crowd surges as people go back for second helpings and stragglers from outside start filtering in at the sound of last call. You're doing your best to handle it when someone taps your back as you're scrubbing away a puddle of broth.
"Mark De-Loose-Ia?" They say.
"DeLucia." You correct as you stand up. "We know each other?"
You look him up and down. He's young, maybe early twenties if not a little younger. Under the arm of his ratty hoodie is a thick bundle of newspaper. He pulls a photo from his pocket and looks at it then back to you. He turns it around revealing a photo of you, hard at work, carrying a stack of lopsided bowls.
"You're him. I was told to give you this." He extends the newspaper, which you see now is wrapped around a box and secured with old stained twine. "Guy named Vic out front gave me twenty bucks to pass this on."
>Sprint outside, he may still be nearby.
>"How long ago was this? Did he say anything else?"
>Take a step back. "Back up and put that package down. Put it down NOW."
>Look around for Kowalski and flag him down, he needs to clear this place now.
>Write-In
